Caller: I was having a discussion with a friend of mine the other day about the Nature of God, and she was saying that she saw God's Nature as being Three Separate Individuals that acted together under the Title of God - kind of like how my father, my mother and I would act together under the title 'family'. And that is how she explains that you've got a singular God a singular Entity called God, but that there can be different individuals in that. And I don't really know how to answer that.
Pastor Doug: Well actually that's not too far from the truth Doug, because the Trinity doctrine - actually you don't find the phrase Trinity so to speak in the Bible - but the doctrine of the Godhead, where Jesus said baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you can find three distinct Individuals outlined in the Bible.
And there are so many references to it: not only Matthew 28:19 that I just quoted, but if you go to 2 Corinthians 13, verses 13 and 14, he says, in his conclusion he says, 'All of the saints salute you. [Notice] The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, [that would be the Father] and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all.' So there you have another example of those three Entities that the Bible speaks of.
Caller: But do you think They are three completely separate Entities?
Pastor Doug: The three Persons of the Godhead - you know when Jesus was baptized is a good example where you can see they're three separate Entities. Christ, God the son, comes out of the water at His baptism. The Voice of God the Father says, 'This is My Beloved Son....' Incidentally, this is Matthew chapter 3. Then the Holy Spirit descends in the Form of a Dove. So you've got three distinct Persons that are making up God.
First John 5:7 says, '...for there are Three that bear record in Heaven [there's three, very simple]. The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.' Now some people get confused and they say, ' 'these three are one? How can They be three in one?' ' All you've got to do is remember that in the Hebrew mind, one meant unity.
Jesus said a man leaves his father and mother, cleaves unto his wife, they become one flesh. Well they're two in reality. We know they're two separate, distinct persons. They're now one unit of a family. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united in their purpose of creation, of redemption, and saving man.
You know there in Genesis, it tells us God said, 'Let Us make man in Our Image.' And later when man sinned, God said, 'man has become like Us [plural].' So you find all the way from Genesis to Revelation the teaching of God being a Triune God. The Angels say, 'Holy, Holy, Holy' for each member of the Godhead there in Isaiah chapter 6.
So that's just a brief summary of some of the Scriptures that teach us about the three Persons in the Godhead, ok?
Caller: Ok.
Pastor Doug: All right. I hope that's helpful. You know I'm getting ready to write an article on that Doug and so if you're on the Amazing Facts' mailing list, you'll get our magazine that explains the Trinity ok?
Caller: Ok thanks!
Pastor Doug: All right. God bless.